Problem: Let $C_1$ and $C_2$ be circles defined by $$
(x-10)^2+y^2=36
$$and $$
(x+15)^2+y^2=81,
$$respectively. What is the length of the shortest line segment $\overline{PQ}$ that is tangent to $C_1$ at $P$ and to $C_2$ at $Q$?
Answer: The centers are at $A=(10,0)$ and $B=(-15,0)$, and the radii are 6 and 9, respectively. Since the internal tangent is shorter than the external tangent, $\overline{PQ}$ intersects  $\overline{AB}$ at a point $D$ that divides  $\overline{AB}$ into parts proportional to the radii. The right triangles $\triangle APD$ and $\triangle BQD$ are similar with ratio of similarity $2:3$. Therefore, $D=(0,0), \, PD=8,$ and $QD=12$. Thus $PQ=\boxed{20}$.

[asy]
unitsize(0.23cm);
pair Q,P,D;
Q=(-9.6,7.2);
P=(6.4,-4.8);
D=(0,0);
draw(Q--P);
draw(Circle((-15,0),9));
draw(Circle((10,0),6));
draw((-15,0)--Q--P--(10,0));
draw((-25,0)--(17,0));
label("$Q$",Q,NE);
label("$P$",P,SW);
label("$D$",D,N);
label("$B$",(-15,0),SW);
label("$(-15,0)$",(-15,0),SE);
label("$(10,0)$",(10,0),NE);
label("$A$",(10,0),NW);
label("9",(-12.1,3.6),NW);
label("6",(8,-2.4),SE);
[/asy]